Runner construction for oven rack

ABSTRACT

This rack and runner construction includes opposed runners attached to the sidewall of an oven compartment and having inclined bearing glides spaced along their length, each pair of horizontal runners receiving a rack in sliding engagement. Each rack includes rear guide elements cooperating with associated horizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement of the rack.

I United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,789,826 Baltz et al. 1 Feb. 5, 1974[54] RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN 2,225,762 12/1940 Barnsteiner l26/l9RX C 2,225,991 12/1940 Hobson 126/339 X 2,671,004 3/1954 Chadwick et a1.126/339 X Inventors: Albert Balll, Mlllstadl; Elmer 2,797,680 7/1957Nagel 126/19 R Voeke, Belleville, both of Ill.

1 1 Assigneei Eagle Range and Manufacturing Primary Examiner-Edward G.Favors Company, Belleville, Ill.

[22] Filed: June 5, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 259,401 [57] ABSTRACT Related sApplication Data This rack and runner construction includes opposed [63]Continuation of Ser No 95 730 Dec 7 1970 runners attached to thesidewall of an oven compartment and having inclined bearing glidesspaced along [52] U S Cl 126,339 their length, each pair of horizontalrunners receiving [51] In} .Cl 4c 15/16 a rack in Sliding engagementEach rack includes rear 58] Pic. 126339 guide elements cooperating withassociated horizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement ofthe [56] References Cited rack UNITED STATES PATENTS Scott 126/19 R 1Claim, 2 Drawing Figures RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN RACK This is acontinuation, of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 095,730, filed Dec. 7,I970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a rackand runner construction for an oven and in particular to such aconstruction for use in a self-cleaning oven.

It is well-known that waste matter resulting from cooking tends tocollect on oven walls. A fairly recent development, which involvedsfinishing the oven sidewalls with a catalytic coating, has substantiallysolved the problem of the waste matter and such matter is eliminatedautomatically by oxidation caused by heat reacting with the catalyticcoating during cooking. However, the problem of wear on the sliding rackbearing surfaces remains and has become more acute, to the extent thatsuch wear tends to remove the catalytic and enamel coating resulting incorrosion of the oven wall along the rack runner engagement surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This rack and runner construction substantiallyreduces wear of a runner surface receiving a removable rack and therebyconsiderably decreases the chances of corrosion of the oven sidewalls.The construction includes a rack having side framing elements supportedby oppositely disposed runners formed on the oven sidewalls. Each runnerincludes an elongate member having a plurality of bearing elementsthereon which receive the side framing elements of the rack in glidingengagement. The runner bearing elements each include an inclined bearingface transversely disposed to the elongate member and substantiallywedge-shaped in configuration. The runner bearing faces are arcuatelyformed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theoven compartment illustrating the rack and runner construction, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in cross sectionillustrating the relative disposition of rack and runner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by characters ofreference to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, it will be understood thatthe oven compartment, generally indicated by numeral 10, includesopposed sidewalls or liners 11 and 12 and a backwall 13. The sidewalls11 and 12 are oppositely disposed and are substantially identical. Forexample, sidewall 11 includes a plurality of rack runners 14 and thesidewall 12 includes a corresponding set of horizontally, alignedoppositely disposed runners 14. Each pair of horizontally alignedrunners 14 is adapted to receive a rack, generally indicated by numeral15.

The runners 14 are substantially identical to each other, and in thedrawing, like numbers indicate corresponding parts. Specifically, eachrunner 14, as indicated in FIG. 2, is substantially rectangular in crosssection having an upper side 20, an underside 21 and a front side 22.The runners 14 are formed from the sidewalls 11 and 12, as by pressing,and extend substantially the length of the sidewalls. Clearance isprovided between each runner end 23 and the back wall 13 of the ovencompartment.

Each runner 14 includes a plurality of glides 24 constituting bearingelements spaced along the length of the runner 14. The glides 24 arepreferably integrally formed with the runner 14 and with the sidewallsll and 12, which facilitates the coating of the interior walls of theoven compartment 10 with a catalytic cover suitable for a self-cleaningoven. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the bearing glides 24 aresubstantially wedge-shaped and include an inclined, substantiallyarcuate bearing face 25. It will be understood that the arcuate bearingfaces 25 are in substantial alignment with the bearing faces ofassociated bearing glides along the same runner.

Each runner 14 includes a depending stop element 26 formed on the runnerunderside 21, preferably integrally formed therewith, which precludesfull withdrawal of the rack 15 from the oven compartment 10 under normaloperation as will be described.

In the preferred embodiment, the rack 15, which is slidably received bythe glides 24, includes a peripheral frame providing opposed side frameelements 30, front and rear elements 31 and 32 respectively, a medianelement 33 and a plurality of transverse elements 34. An upstandingspacer element 35 is attached to the rear element 32 at its ends and itsmidpoint and is so configurated as to provide a pair of bumper portions36 which serve to space the main rack frame from the backwall 13. Thespacer element 35 also provides a retaining bar for articles placed onthe rack 15. The rack 15 also includes guide elements 37 which cooperatewith the stop 26 on the runners 14, to preclude withdrawal of the rack15 from the oven compartment 10. The guide elements 37 serve also toprevent inadvertent uplift of the rear end of the rack 15 when the frontend of the rack is withdrawn from the oven compartment 10. In thepreferred embodiment, the guide elements 37 are formed from downwardlydepending extensions of the spacer element 35 and each guide element 37includes a depending leg 40 turned at right angles to form an outwardlyprojecting foot 41. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the leg 40 is disposedadjacent the front side 22 of an associated runner 14 and the foot 41 isdisposed subjacently of the underside 21 of said runner 14. It will beunderstood that when the rack 15 is sufficiently withdrawn from the ovencompartment 10, the feet 41 will engage abutment faces 27 of associatedrunner stops 26 to preclude further withdrawal, and that, in addition,the feet 41 provide hook elements precluding movement of the rack 15upwardly.

In operation, the racks 15 slide easily in and out of the ovencompartment 10, the side elements 30 being supported intermittently onthe bearing glides 24. The rack 15 is always supported on at least twoof the bearing glides 24 of each runner 14 and consequently, the sideelements 30 do not at any time engage the upper side 20 of said runner14. It will be noted, for example, that two bearing glides 24 areprovided forwardly of the stop 26. a

The spacing of each of the runners 14 from the backwall 13 permits therack 15 to be installed without difficulty and the bumpers 36 formedfrom the spacer element 35 at the rear end of the rack facilitate suchinstallation, the projection of the bumpers 36 being somewhat less thanthe spacing between the runner end 23 and the backwall 13 so that saidbumpers 36 may be used to some extent as a locating device. Thus, whenthe bumpers 36 engage the wall 13, the rack 15 may be dropped in placeso that the feet 41 are positioned to be drawn into guided relation withsaid runner 14.

The side framing elements 30 are formed from circular rods and theprovision of a coacting, arcuate bearing face 25 on the bearing glides24 results in optimum running smoothness. Obviously, since the sideelements 30 are in direct engagement with the bearing glides 24, onlythe arcuate bearing faces 25 of these glides 24 are subject to wear.Further, the arcuate configuration of the glides acts as a self-locatingdevice so that the racks 15 are not subject to excessive side movement,and are maintained in a substantially central location within the ovencompartment 10.

We claim as our invention:

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposedsidewalls comprising:

a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to be disposed on associated ovensidewalls, each runner including:

1. an elongate member having an upper side and an underside, and

2. a plurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along theupper side of the elongate member,

b. a rack including:

1. oppositely disposed side elements supported intermittently on thebearing elements of the aligned pair of runners, and

2. stop-engaging means at opposite sides,

c. a stop means on each sidewall and including an abutment engageable bythe stop-engaging means to limit extension of the rack from the oven,and

d. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runnerforwardly of the stop means and at least one bearing element beinglocated on each runner rearwardly of the stop means so that the rack issupported on at least two bearing elements of each runner in allretracted or extended positions of the rack without engagement of therack at any time with the upper side of the elongate member.

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposedsidewalls comprising: a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to bedisposed on associated oven sidewalls, each runner including:
 1. anelongate member having an upper side and an underside, and
 2. aplurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along theupper side of the elongate member, b. a rack including:
 1. oppositelydisposed side elements supported intermittently on the bearing elementsof the aligned pair of runners, and
 2. stop-engaging means at oppositesides, c. a stop means on each sidewall and including an abutmentengageable by the stop-engaging means to limit extension of the rackfrom the oven, and d. a pair of said bearing elements being located oneach runner forwardly of the stop means and at least one bearing elementbeing located on each runner rearwardly of the stop means so that therack is supported on at least two bearing elements of each runner in allretracted or extended positions of the rack without engagement of therack at any time with the upper side of the elongate member.
 2. aplurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along theupper side of the elongate member, b. a rack including:
 2. stop-engagingmeans at opposite sides, c. a stop means on each sidewall and includingan abutment engageable by the stop-engaging means to limit extension ofthe rack from the oven, and d. a pair of said bearing elements beinglocated on each runner forwardly of the stop means and at least onebearing element being located on each runner rearwardly of the stopmeans so that the rack is supported on at least two bearing elements ofeach runner in all retracted or extended positions of the rack withoutengagement of the rack at any time with the upper side of the elongatemember.